So say restaurateurs across Northeast Ohio who are hosting pairing events such as brewmaster dinners and seminars that highlight how craft ale complements food, and vice versa.

"We do see a growing interest in our guests (in) enjoying the interplay between our beer and our food," said Sam McNulty, co-founder of Bar Cento, Market Garden Brewery, McNulty's Bier Markt, Nano Brew Cleveland, and Speakeasy, all in Cleveland. "Up until more recently, wine was considered the true proper pairing beverage. Now you'll see craft beer taking the lead as beer has much more complexity than wine and often is found to be friendlier with foods."

Hosting pairing events with local chefs is one way for small breweries to draw crowds, said Mary-Ellen Jones, director of sales and marketing for Goldhorn Brewery, which opened in July in Cleveland.

"We are not a huge tourist beer city, so we have to get local people to come out and keep on coming back," she said. "You have to get yourself out there, work with these chefs, collaborate where people are already lining up outside the door, and get your beer on the table."

Both McNulty and Jones expect interest in tastings to keep brewing.

"It's much more a personal experience being at an event, getting to ask, 'Why do I love this stout so much with this brisket,' finding out what those nuances are versus blindly drinking what you're supposed to like," she said.

The best beer and food pairings, from her point of view, are like well coordinated outfits: They go together without matching exactly.

"The food should complement the beer, not compete with it," Jones explained.

But there are no hard and fast rules as to what works with what, restaurateurs say.

"The variety and possibilities are pretty much endless," said Bob Voss, brewpub manager for Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland. He is certified cicerone, a qualification earned following an exhaustive exam about beer and brewing.

"So, depending on what you're looking for, there's really a lot of different possibilities for each menu item," Voss continued. "You want to match intensities. You don't want something that's going to overpower and clash with each other."

If he is serving a double India pale ale, for example, he'll seek something that will stand up to the hops, such as spicy wings. A salad calls for a lighter pairing partner — think, pilsner. Decadent dessert is paired well with porters and stouts, rich ales that have coffee and chocolate undertones. And in keeping with the generally appreciated pairing of citrus and seafood, witbier works with fish.

Once a month, Great Lakes serves a brewmaster menu. Events like these, Voss asserted, are the best way to experience beer and food pairings because it presents the opportunity for people to pick up on what others observe, too.

"Chefs know food, but nowadays chefs are starting to know about the beer," he said. "That will make food and beer pairings more important. As the number (of beers) grow, we're going to have to set ourselves apart by having the knowledge and pushing the envelope."

More than a Bud and some grub. There's an art to this.

One can’t be expected to report the art and business of food and beer pairings without indulging herself, right? Here are five combinations I tried, orchestrated by Nikolaos Atheneos, who’s general manager of Forage Public House in Lakewood. The chef of Forage is his brother, Demetrios Atheneos.

The flavors: The devils, complete with crisp pork belly, packed a nice kick toward the end, and the heavier sweetness of the Pimp My Sleigh balanced that spiciness. Why it works, according to Niko: That’s exactly it: The beer mellows out the heat of the chorizo.

The flavors: The fish was well balanced, not only by the crunch of the watermelon radish, but also by the very bright ale, which has undertones of fruit. Side note: The maple emulsion was exquisite.Why it works, according to Niko: “I like citrus with my fish,” he said, noting that this ale is brewed with Citra hops.

The flavors: The crunch plus the rich yet light center of the crème brûlée make the dessert, but the way the cherries and the beer complemented each other made the pairing: Take a bite of the cherries, then a sip of the beer, and the cherry taste deepens. Why it works, according to Niko: Generally, you cannot go wrong in pairing a stout with chocolate.

The flavors: The deep, rich beer both precedes and follows the dessert well and plays up the smoke of its charred marshmallows.Why it works, according to Niko: Similar flavors complement similar flavors. S’mores and s’mores beer simply work.

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